RLC recognitions a big win for PH

Philippines steps up: A grand final statement in Asian real estate

Jules Kay

PropertyGuru Group

As general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, I see the 20th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final as a clear statement of intent from the Philippines. With 24 entries on the shortlist and 10 Best in Asia titles, Filipino developers showed that their projects can stand alongside the region’s finest.

Strong fundamentals

The Philippine finalists impressed the judges with strong fundamentals and a close understanding of end users. Many entries placed connectivity, sustainability, and everyday livability at the center of their concepts. Together, they presented a market that is broadening beyond Metro Manila and building depth across the archipelago.

Robinsons Land is central to this story. 

At the Grand Final, the group received four regional titles, led by the Best Luxury Developer (Asia) award. This recognition was supported by wins for The Mall | NUSTAR as Best Lifestyle Retail Development (Asia), The Victor at Bridgetowne as Best Landmark Design (Asia), and work.able GBF Center 1 as Best Co Working Space (Asia). These honours highlight a portfolio that can deliver experience-led retail, flexible workplaces, and distinctive landmarks.

The wider Robinsons group strengthened the Philippine presence even further. Robinsons Hotels and Resorts was named Best Hospitality Developer (Asia), reflecting a growing capability in hotel and resort operations. RLC Residences earned regional titles for SYNC as Best Mid End Condo Development (Asia) and The Residences at The Westin Manila as Best Completed Luxury Condo Development (Asia). Together they show confidence in both mid market and luxury city living.

A balanced picture

Alongside these wins, projects such as FIESTA Communities Aguso, Seafront Residences by Aboitiz Land, Inc., and LIMA Estate by Aboitiz Economic Estates secured Asia level recognition in housing connectivity and industrial development. 

Taken together, the Philippine results at the Grand Final present a balanced picture of a market that can deliver residential, commercial, and industrial assets to a consistently high standard.

This performance sends a clear message. Robinsons Land and its peers are helping to define the Gold Standard for the region, aligning with PropertyGuru’s vision to power communities to live, work, and thrive. 

As our Awards series marks 20 years, the Philippine showing signals a phase in which the country is not only a key participant in Asian real estate, but an important driver of its future direction.

Metro Manila shows resilience as major condo hub in region

Sheila Lobien

Lobien Realty Group

The Philippine real estate market has undergone rapid transformation the past several years, with Metro Manila emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic and resilient condominium hubs. 

Strong demand

Demand has remained strong, with 2025 pre-selling take-up still driven by expanding urban employment, improving consumer confidence, and the continued return of on-site office work.

Another key driver of demand are remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which hit $38.34 billion in 2024, with a further 3 percent increase expected in 2025.

Residential vacancy has meanwhile eased from a pandemic peak of 17 percent to about 12 percent in 2024, with the rate possibly maintained in 2025. Condominium prices in major districts have risen 3 to 5 percent per year, with premium projects experiencing growth of up to 8 percent.

These trends are further strengthened by major infrastructure developments such as the Metro Manila Subway, MRT-7, NLEx-SLEx Connector, and the North–South Commuter Railway, which are projected to boost surrounding property values by 10 to 15 percent over the next five years.

Rising expectations

High quality condominiums are increasingly in demand as Filipino buyers–particularly millennials, who now constitute nearly 45 percent of all condo purchases–seek homes that combine convenience, strong security, smart-home features, and vibrant amenities suited for hybrid work lifestyles.

These rising expectations are reflected in the 2025 PropertyGuru Awards, where top Philippine developments were celebrated for excellence in innovation, design, sustainability, and overall community impact.

Among those who participated is Robinsons Land, which submitted multiple high quality entries that can stand out among the country’s best, reinforcing how Philippine developments have now reached global standard quality and competitive among their peers.

Opportune time to invest

The expected benchmark rate cuts and the more aggressive sales posture of developers indicate that this may be the most opportune time to invest in a Metro Manila condominium.

Despite consistent upward trends across the metro, many areas still offer prices below their pre-pandemic highs, providing a rare buying window before future infrastructure and economic expansion become fully reflected in their market valuations. Pre-selling projects are also offering attractive introductory pricing and flexible payment schemes, making premium units more accessible to end-users and investors.

With strong market fundamentals, world-class developments, expanding transport networks, and increasing investor confidence, along with lower mortgage rates, Metro Manila presents strong residential and investment opportunities in the country.

We always take comfort that real property investments are among the safest investment options in the country.

Accolades reinforce competitiveness of PH developers

Joey Roi Bondoc

Colliers Review

Colliers Philippines believes that the citations awarded by PropertyGuru bode well for national developers today amid a recovering real estate sector.

We believe these awards showcase thriving, well masterplanned projects that provide an outstanding blueprint for future residential communities and office developments within and outside the country’s capital. These award-winning projects are excellent prototypes for livability, accessibility, and connectivity.

What’s interesting to note is the fact that even projects in emerging business locations like the C5 corridor were recognized–proof that premium living is not confined in established business districts.

Dynamic corridor

In its report entitled “Unlocking Metro Manila’s Next Business Frontier: The Rise of the C5 Corridor,” Colliers said new hubs for offices are emerging outside traditional business hubs.

An example is the C5 corridor, which “features dynamic townships, high-rise residential condominiums and vibrant retail centers that create a thriving ecosystem for commerce and urban living.”

One of these mixed-use communities here is the 30-ha Bridgetowne Destination Estate by Robinsons Land. Straddling Quezon City and Pasig City, this mixed-use estate has emerged as one of the most active office locations in Metro Manila as of the first half of 2025. Among its newest offices here would be the GBF Center 1 and 2, which were designed with green and sustainable features.

The township is also known for “The Victor,” an award-winning, towering monument that symbolizes strength and ambition, and serves as a visual anchor for the estate.

Colliers Philippines believes that The Victor is one key feature of the Bridgetowne community that enables it to stand out and differentiate among mixed-use developments in the capital region. 

Impressive take-up

Residential developments along the C5-corridor are also recording impressive take-up.

As of Q3 2025, average take-up of condominium units in Bridgetowne was a formidable 72 percent. Among the condominium developments here include Cirrus Residences, Haraya Residences, Le Pont Residences and Velaris Residences. Prices of units range from P4 million to P43 million per unit, averaging P282,000 per sqm.

The Bridgetowne will also house a Fili Hotel. This is an opportune time to feature a hotel given the rising demand from local tourists and for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibition (MICE) facilities. 

Rising acceptability of JVs

Meanwhile, Colliers Philippines also believes that local property firms should seize opportunities in the market by partnering with foreign developers for their residential projects.

These joint ventures (JVs) should help local players differentiate and eventually stand out in a constantly evolving property market.

The formation of more real estate JVs is a positive trend that we see for the Philippine property. It’s a win-win situation for local and international players, as well as for every Filipino aspiring to one day purchase his or her own home.